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Author Frank Monastra

Meet local author Frank Monastra and learn about Cleveland's organized crime history.

About the author:

Frank Monastra is a local author and the grandson of Cleveland Mafia member Frank Brancato. He has written several books exploring the illegal gambling operations, high-profile clubs, and prominent figures in Cleveland's organized crime syndicate throughout the twentieth century. His newest book, The Cleveland Syndicate, was published in late January 2026.

About the book:

The Cleveland Syndicate tells the true story of a group of investors from Cleveland who risked the wealth they had earned during Prohibition, expanded their empire into gambling opportunities in Ohio and Kentucky over the years, and then invested in the rural town of Las Vegas in the late 1940s to help build what Las Vegas became famous for. Fun, excitement, entertainment, wealth, poverty, and of course, the Mob’s massive and almost unstoppable skimming operation that lasted for over three decades. The Cleveland Syndicate transitioned from an influential crime group into a legitimate, disciplined corporation second to none.

The Cleveland Syndicate worked patiently and strategically alongside other Mob-controlled cities, but was not controlled by them, as they had already established a partnership with the Cleveland Mob. Under Moe Dalitz's vision and leadership, they collaborated with the boys from Chicago and New York, and, of course, with Meyer Lansky, trying their hand in Cuba before their government collapsed.

Registration is required for this event. Books will be available for purchase, courtesy of the author.